Call in the Benchwarmers: Discovering Some Lesser-Known Avengers

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Welcome to the Avengers! You’re now part of a prestigious team of crime fighters sharing the same goal: protecting the world. But not everyone can just join this team…ok, well, maybe it’s easier than you thought. Seriously, almost EVERYBODY in the Marvel Universe has been an Avenger at some point. Heroes, villains, super humans, and even your average joe have all assembled in some form or another. We counted well over 150 members in total. Sure, you’ve probably heard of the most famous heroes, or at least we hope you’ve heard of them, but what about the lesser known members? Unless you’re an avid comic book reader and Marvel enthusiast, you might not have heard of some of these obscure Avengers.

Swordsman

Jacques Duquesne is an extremely gifted athlete, martial artist, and sword fighter with a wishy-washy history when it comes to his loyalty. In fact, he and another Marvel character, Trick Shot, helped train Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye before betraying him. Swordsman first started off as a villain, but later joined the Avengers despite Hawkeye’s disapproval. His prowess with a sword and cunning skills on the battlefield make him a great ally in a fight, but he is ultimately powerless. Despite putting up a good fight, Swordsman fell and is known as one of the more famous “deceased” Avengers.

Mantis

Unless you’re big into old school Avengers comics or more recent Guardians of the Galaxy titles, this name might not ring a bell. However, this gifted telepathic plant manipulator and martial artist is one of Marvel’s often overlooked Avengers. While her powers have changed and developed over time, her background is a juicy one, with many interconnecting relations and romances. Mantis has proven herself useful on many occasions throughout the Marvel Universe. She’s definitely someone we’d love to see in future Guardians of the Galaxy films.

Two Gun Kid

A Wild West gunslinger who travels to the present and joins the Avengers? Awesome! Matt Hawk (or Liebowics as he’s mostly referred to lately), is one of the more out-of-place members to have ever fought for the Avengers. Essentially Marvel’s attempt at creating their own Lone Ranger, Two Gun Kid is a top-notch gunfighter and hand-to-hand fighter. Whether he’s fighting bandits or aliens, Two Gun Kid is a great teammate to have on your side.

Demolition Man

The D-Man! If you’re not familiar, odds are you know a hardcore Marvel fan who knows about this guy. At first glance, he looks like a shabby attempt at blending Dardevil with Wolverine, but Dennis Dunphy is a hand-to-hand fighter and aircraft pilot gifted with superhuman strength augmentation. His tough-headedness and stubborn inability to back down from a fight make him a passionate but sometimes loose-cannon combatant. However, his loyalty to his pal Captain America and several other popular Avengers has made him a bit of a lesser-known cult favorite over the years.

Forgotten One

Here’s somebody you probably haven’t heard of, but you should get to know. You might known him as Hercules or Gilgamesh, a.k.a. the Forgotten One. He’s what you would call an Eternal…a member of an immortal race of super powered beings with nearly unlimited power. Seriously, take a look at these stats: super-strength, regeneration, flight, optic blasts, repressed aging, and immunity to disease. So basically he’s like if Superman, Cyclops, and Wolverine had a baby. Sounds pretty badass if you ask us.

Darkhawk

When Chris Powell, a normal teenager in NYC picked up a mysterious amulet in an abandoned amusement park, he never thought his life would forever change. Using the amulet, he could import his mind into the body of a winged android called Darkhawk. Armed with energy blasts, claws, night vision, and super strength, Darkhawk was a low-level crime fighter before stepping up his game and joining the Avengers. Maybe somewhere down the line we can get a mention of Darkhawk on one of Netflix’s new shows…who knows?

Sersi

Sersi is another Eternal, gifted with the ability of super strength, atomic manipulation, psionic powers, and flight. She’s just an all-around awesome character with a knack for getting tasks done. Often times when the Avengers are having trouble, they come to Sersi for help. Her connection to Gilgamesh and her partnership with Thor have earned her a spot on the Avengers roster.

Jack of Hearts

Jonathan “Jack” Hart is a deadly fighter with an uncanny ability to persevere and survive. He can even detect motion and survive in space. He’s the product of a science project gone wrong, which left him exposed to a vat of “zero fluid”, an alien energy source. As a result, Jack went into a series of physical and internal changes and came out with strange new powers. He has been on both sides of the crime fighting fence, but ultimately joined the Avengers and took part in numerous rescue missions. Unfortunately, Jack of Hearts died during a mission to save Scott Lang (Ant-Man)’s daughter, Cassandra.

Captain Britain

Sure you’ve heard of Captain America, and maybe you’ve even heard of this guy Captain Britain, but did you know he was a member of the Avengers? Yep, Brian Braddock, when not protecting Great Britain and Europe, has worked with the Avengers on many occasions. Vested with extraordinary powers by Merlyn himself, Captain Britain has worked with the best of the best, proving himself a powerful and trustworthy ally.

Sentry

Here’s one character who, as a reader, you either know very well, or not at all. Robert Reynolds, a.k.a. Sentry, is possibly one of the most gifted Avengers to ever assemble for the team. Name a superpower…he’s probably got it. Sentry has a connection to almost every Marvel hero, and his presence on the team is certainly well-earned. With the power of “a million exploding suns”, you’d think this guy would have a little bit of a stronger presence in the Marvel Universe.

No matter how notorious, there’s one thing that every Avenger has in common…they have protected the world and its citizens with the utmost selflessness and bravery. So if you don’t see them on the big screen any time soon, do yourselves a favor and look up some of these lesser known heroes. They’re worth the read.

Have any other suggestions for Avengers who don’t quite get enough attention? Let us know in the comments below!